1. Related Applications
There are no applications for patents relating hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
2. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to agricultural implements for field use and more particularly to such implements that combine the functions of a tool bar and agricultural chemical carrier and applicator.
3. Description of Prior Art
In the present day, by reason of both general and farm economics, it has become desirable to combine the features of several agricultural implements in a single device. As agricultural sciences have become more sophisticated, farm implements have in general become more numerous and specialized and because of this the actual time of use of a particular implement has become less and less. Most specialized agricultural implements require expenditures of substantial amounts of capital and because of their limited use they are not particularly economically efficient since they are actually used for only a very small portion of their lifetime. With the present day agricultural segment of the economy moving relatively downward in relationship to the overall economy, as evidenced by falling farm prices and farm profits this problem becomes even more acute. Responsively various composite implements are becoming increasingly popular to combine the functions of several specialized implements in one unit so that its overall cost may be lowered in comparison to that of the several individual implements and the relative time of use of the composite implement may be increased not only to tend to lessen the amount of invested capital but also to make its use more effective. The instant invention provides a new member to this class of implements.
Agricultural sophistication has markedly increased the use of various chemicals, especially in fluid and gaseous form. Primarily these substances comprise fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, but less commonly they embrace various enzymatic and hormonic substances, trace elements and the like. Some of these substances, for effective use, must be injected into the soil while others must be either sprayed upon the soil or upon herbal growth. Heretofore many and various implements have become known for both functions. Some such implements have provided means for storage and transport of the chemicals being used and others have required some auxiliary device to provide the chemical supply. All of the devices in general have provided a single, quite specialized type of operation that oftentimes is accomplished only once during an agricultural growing season and then for a relatively short period. Such devices generally have not provided the functions of an ordinary tool bar because in general no other tools were propelled over a field with them and there was no particular reason so to do. The instant invention in contradistinction provides in essence a short tongued cart or tool bar with multiply adjustable hitch for mounting behind a tractor and in turn mounting at least one other agricultural tool therebehind.
Our tool bar itself provides a secondary frame to support and transport a tank or container of either a rigid or non-rigid type for various chemicals. The tank is supported in a position that allows its mounting in either a permanent or removable fashion so that our implement might be used as a pure tool bar if desired.
Disbursement and metering systems are provided to accommodate either gaseous or fluid materials. The disbursement systems are auxiliary structures which allow various forms of material disbursement either simultaneously or alternatively and include at least spray and injection type apparatus, the latter of which is associated with some other agricultural tool which travels in the earth to allow injection of material therein. These elements of our implement allow combinations that perform functions that normally have not heretofore been accomplished by a single tool. The applicator may apply liquid fertilizer by means of its spray apparatus and it can apply either liquid or anhydrous fertilizers through its injection system. It may also be combined with other implements to perform plural functions at the same time, such as applying herbicides while cultivating, fertilizing while cultivating or weeding, applying pre-emergent herbicides while rolling or packing lentils, fertilizing while summer fallowing and hand fertilizing while drilling or seeding crops to enumerate only a few of the combination possibilities. Such combination of functions obviously saves energy, time and labor, all to lower the overall cost of producing crops.
Our tool is particularly adaptable to hillside operations by its overall structure and particularly its doubly adjustable, short couple feature for implements attached to it. The tool also is provided with secondary wheel structure to allow its transport over public roads. Most agricultural tools, if propelled in their normal agricultural mode, are too wide to be transportable on public roadways but yet with modern day farming practices such transportation is almost a necessity since single farm operation oftentimes involves various parcels of land at substantial distances from each other. All sub-systems of our implement are appropriately configured to allow transportation within normal governmental limitations for vehicles operated on the public roadways.
Our invention is distinguished from the prior art in not any one of these features per se, or necessarily in any particular sub-combination, but rather in the synergistic combination of all of the structural features to provide the complete function of the tool's potential.
In providing such a device it is:
A principal object to provide an agricultural implement that provides the multiple functions of a tool bar, agricultural chemical transporter and a disburser of either fluids or gaseous material by either spraying or injection. A further object of our invention to provide such an implement that has a tank-like reservoir for chemicals that may be either permanently or releasably carried.
A still further object of our invention to provide such an implement that has foldably movable structures and a secondary locomotion system to allow its transport over public roadways within the width requirements for such transport.
A still further object or our invention to provide such an implement that serves as a tool bar to allow transport of other agricultural implements, particularly in hilly topography and provides disbursement apparatus that may be used with other implements such as a cultivator, drill, chisel or the like to inject chemicals into the soil.
A still further object of our invention to provide such an implement that is of new and novel design, of rugged and durable nature, of simple and economic manufacture and one otherwise well suited to the uses and purposes for which it is intended.
Other and further objects of our invention will appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. In carrying out the object of our invention, however, it is to be understood that its essential features are susceptible of change in design and structural arrangement with only one practical and preferred embodiment being illustrated in the accompanying drawings as is required.